Rick Bayless' Mexican-Style Zucchini Tacos

Inspiration:
Rick Bayless


Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 pound ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (6 to 8 Italian-plum or 2 medium- large round)

2 large fresh poblano chiles

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about one ear of corn)

4 medium zucchini cut into 1/2" cubes (about 1 1/2 pounds or 5 cups)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup homemade crème frâiche or heavy cream

Salt

1/2 cup Mexican queso fresco or other crumbly fresh cheese-like salted, pressed farmer's cheese or feta

24 fresh, warm corn tortillas

Instructions:

1. Measure the oil into a large (12-inch skillet) and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until richly browned, about 8 minutes.

2. While onion is cooking, coarsely puree the tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Add garlic to the browned onion, cook 1 minute, stirring, then add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin has blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for an open flames, about 10 minutes for the broiler. Remove from heat and cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Rub off the blackened skins, then pull out the stems and seedpods. Rinse briefly to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

4. Uncover the skillet, return to flame and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir in the poblanos, corn, zucchini, epazote and crema. Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is crisp-tender and the liquid has thickened enough to coat the vegetables nicely, about 8 minutes. Taste and season with salt, about 1 teaspoon or to taste. Serve in a decorative bowl, sprinkle with crumbled cheese and pass hot tortillas separate for do-it-yourself tacos.

Nutrition facts per serving (1/6 of the recipe): 453 calories, 18 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 43 mg cholesterol, 66 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 604 mg sodium, 8 g fiber


Tim's Rating: 8.5/10 ("better than 'facos'")
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Corn Tortillas

Inspiration:
This week, my friend Brooke declared it's easy to make corn tortillas and that they're delicious.

I immediately headed to Amazon to order a tortilla press and to my co-op to search for Masa Harina. They had it, but if you can't find it, you can order it online.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masa Harina (will make approximately 6 6-inch tortillas)
  
• Eggs
• Shredded Cheddar
• Hot Sauce
• Optional: cooked sausage, vegetables, other taco ingredients

Instructions:

1. Mix Masa Harina with scant 1 cup hot water and a dash of salt. Once combined, cover and set aside for one hour.
2. When dough is ready, roll into 2-inch balls. Press in a tortilla press lined with wax or parchment paper.
   
3. Heat griddle to hot. Cook tortillas approximately 1 minute on each side. Keep warm in towels until other ingredients are ready.
4. Scramble eggs and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

Rating:
9/10

Notes: Very easy to make! I don't know what took me so long to try it, but I don't think we'll ever purchase tortillas again.

Pioneer Woman's Restaurant-Style Salsa

Inspiration:
I love restaurant-style salsa, so when I saw Pioneer Woman's recipe on my friend Sarah's blog, I had to make it immediately!


Ingredients:

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
• ½ cups Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Instructions:

1. Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

2. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Notes: I used one large jalapeño, including the ribs and seeds. I would describe the salsa as medium-hot. Tim loves spicy food, so I'll probably use two next time. This makes a lot, but we ate the entire batch within a week.

I make my own salsa in summer using fresh tomatoes, but I never had made it in winter. This recipe is so good! I think it may be my favorite salsa of all time.


Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10

Spiced Lentil Tacos

Inspiration:
SELF Magazine


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 8 taco shells
• 1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping tsp sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Note: I only use full-fat dairy, so I substituted in regular sour cream and cheese. I left the recipe as-is to reflect the nutritional info below.

Nutritional Info:
249 calories per 2 tacos, 7.1 g fat (1.9 g saturated), 37.1 g carbs, 9.7 g fiber, 11.5 g protein


Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10 ("Not as good as beef tacos, still good.")

Squash with Mexican Flavors

Inspiration:
Adapted from Emily's blog, originally from the cooking school Chez Cherie.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups butternut squash cubes
  
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  
• salt and pepper
  
• chili powder
  
• drizzle of olive oil
  
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1/4 cup spicy green salsa
  
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
  
• 1 1/2 cups grated Mexican-blend cheese

Instructions:

1. Place the squash cubes and onion on a baking sheet, and season with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until squash is tender, about 18-20 minutes.

3. Toss roasted squash with drained beans, salsa, corn and cheese. Heat in a covered skillet until warmed through. Remove from heat, adjust seasonings to taste, sprinkle with cheese, and cover until cheese melts.

Notes: We really enjoyed this new flavor combination. We used Mrs. Renfro's Green Salsa, which is really spicy. We added some sour cream to counteract the heat and because sour cream is good!

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

One-Minute Salsa

Inspiration:
A Cook's Illustrated recipe featured in my CSA newsletter
as well as tomatoes, serrano pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro from my CSA. (Everything except lime, salt, and ground pepper- I love it when that happens.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small serano or jalapeño chile or 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/4 small red onion , peeled and root end removed
• 1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
  
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• pinch ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime
• 2 small tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), ripe, each cored and cut into eighths, or one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  

Instructions:

1. Pulse all ingredients except tomatoes in food processor until minced, about five 1-second pulses, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add tomatoes and pulse until roughly chopped, about two 1-second pulses.
   
   To Make Ahead:
   The salsa can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Season with additional lime juice and salt before serving.

Notes:
This took me five minutes, not one minute to make. However, it's worth it because it's SO GOOD. Next time I will add an entire serrano pepper, because we love spicy food.

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Black and White Bean Dip

Inspiration:
Are you ready for some football?!?!? We wanted to have some dip while watching Brett Favre make his regular-season debut with the Jets. Sigh, we miss having you as a Packer, Favre.
I adapted this recipe from Annie's Eats, originally from My Kitchen Café. Check out Annie's blog-- it's one of my favorites.


Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans

• 1 can white beans

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  

• 7 oz. hot salsa (I recommend Habañero Lime)
  

• 2 cups shredded co-jack cheese

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes

• garlic salt to taste

• cilantro to garnish
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Rinse and drain both cans of beans. Squeeze the liquid out of tomatoes before chopping so the dip doesn’t turn runny. Put all ingredients except cilantro in a bowl and mix together. Grease a shallow baking dish before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top.
2. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Remove from the oven and top with cilantro.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes:
We decided to try this dip and compare it to the bean dip that Tim rated an 11/10. Tim's brother had tried both and said we should give it a shot. My brother-in-law and his girlfriend recommended their additions and substitutions: adding in a can of diced green chilies and substituting pepperjack cheese. I think that would taste delicious! We had co-jack cheese on hand and very spicy salsa, so we tried that instead.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10 ("I think I prefer hot bean dip to be made with refried beans, but this was still good.")
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Zucchini, Bean, and Cheese Burritos

Inspiration:
The Saint Paul Farmers' Market Cookbook
as well as zucchini and summer squash from our CSA


Ingredients:

• 2 6-inch zucchini
• 4 wheat tortillas
• 1 cup seasoned refried beans
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup salsa

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the stems of zucchini and cut each one in half lengthwise. Steam zucchini halves, cut side down, until tender, about 6 minutes. They may also be microwaved in a covered dish, with 2 tbsp. water, until tender, about 3 minutes. On each tortilla spread 1/4 cup beans. Place a zucchini half, cut side up, on top of beans. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese and fold up. Place burritos seam side down in a greased baking dish. Top with salsa and more cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Recipe Notes:
"The zucchini inside these will surprise them!"

My Notes:
This was an ok vegetarian recipe. I think it could be improved to a very good vegetarian recipe with a few modifications. I would sauté onions with jalapeño and either taco seasoning or cumin and add it to the burritos. It just needed a bit more zip. I would also use some Monterey jack along with the cheddar cheese.

Tim's Rating: 7.5/10
Liz's Rating: 7.5/10

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Inspiration:
Everyday Food

Ingredients:

• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream and salsa, for serving
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.
   

Recipe Notes:
"Serve this brightly colored, layered tortilla pie with salsa and sour cream on the side. You can assemble the pie ahead of time, then bake it just before serving."


My Notes:
We loved this, as we pretty do much any recipe with Mexican flavors. This would be a good vegetarian recipe to serve to guests (as long as they love cheese!), although I would have made more effort for it to look pretty. Sorry the photos aren't great; I made it too late to have any natural light. Here is a picture of it once I cut out a slice:

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10 (He actually flashed me five fingers twice as he was shoveling it in. I said, "Are you rating it a 10?" He said, "Mmmm-Hmmm.")

Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad

Inspiration:
I like to take pasta salads to work during the week. I had this recipe from Martha Stewart sitting in my recipe binder and finally got around to making it (with some modifications).


Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown (or white) rice
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked with olive oil, kosher salt, Adobo Seasoning from Penzeys, cooled and diced
  
• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-4 on-the-vine tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3-4 scallions and 1 garlic scape (optional), thinly sliced
  
• 1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired), minced
• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Spread on a baking sheet; refrigerate until cool.
2. Place cooled rice in a large bowl; add chicken, beans, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, vinegar, oil, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Recipe Notes: To make a Southwestern-style salad that's a meal in itself, toss together chicken, rice, beans, and tomatoes with a light, spicy dressing. Serves 4.

My Notes: I loved this recipe--what a great summer dish! I love the flavors, and it has a nice kick. If you don't like spicy food, cut back or eliminate the jalepeño. I absolutely love the Adobo Seasoning from Penzeys and highly recommend it. Although this isn't really a Mexican recipe, I am tagging it as such due to its flavor profile. I am already looking forward to tomorrow's lunch.


Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10

Amber's "Hungry Man" Enchiladas

Inspiration:
Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients for Chili Gravy:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  
• 2 T chile powder
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 cups chicken broth (or water)

Instructions for Chili Gravy:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.
3. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.
   
4. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.5. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. If desired, add water to adjust the thickness.

Ingredients for Burritos:

• 1.5 cups chili gravy, divided, recipe above
• 6, 8" flour tortillas
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained and slightly smashed with a fork
  
• 2 cups shredded Mexican Blend cheese, divided
  
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions for Burritos:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with 1/2 cup chili gravy.
3. In a medium bowl mix shredded chicken, beans, 1 cup cheese, and sour cream.
4. Lay out one tortilla and place 1/2 cup of filling mixture down the center. Fold up tortilla tucking in the ends and rolling into a cylinder. Place enchilada into pan, seam side down, and repeat process until all the filling mixture is gone.
5. Top enchiladas with remaining 1 cup of chili gravy and 1 cup cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 additional minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Amber's Recipe Notes:
"My secret for making flour tortillas pliable and easy to fold is to turn on a burner on the gas stove on and flop the tortilla over it. Let it set for about 15 seconds and then flip it over and let the other side warm for 15 seconds. Please remember that you are dealing with flames here so if your tortilla starts to smoke or catches on fire turn off the burner and remove the tortilla."

My Notes:
Very good! Next time I will make these with corn tortillas. I asked Tim if he wanted flour or corn, and he said flour. Next time I just won't ask. :)
I know my photo looks like a cheesy, gooey mess. If you want better photos, click on the link to Amber's blog at the top of the page! Thanks, Amber!

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10 ("Are there beans in this? I like that.")

Vegetarian Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Inspiration:
An attempt to eat more meatless meals


Ingredients:

• 8 whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 2-cup bag of shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican Blend cheese
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 cup corn (either cut from two ears or frozen, not canned)
• 2 T minced red onion
• Sour cream and salsa

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet on high.
   
2. Meanwhile, lay out four tortillas on a flat surface. Sprinkle 1/4 cup corn, 1/4 cup beans, 1/2 T red onion, and 1/4-1/2 cup cheese on each.
   
3. Make sure oil is hot. Place quesadilla in oil; reduce heat to medium.
4. Cover with other four tortillas.When tortilla has browned, flip and cook until cheese is melted.
5. Cut into quarters and serve with sour cream and salsa.

Notes: Serves two to four.

Liz's Rating: 9/10

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

Inspiration:
This post on Brooke's blog, with the original recipe coming from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 14 ounces chicken broth
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• Kernels from two steamed ears of corn (or 1 cup frozen kernels)
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.
3. In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Inspiration:
A beef roast, no desire for pot roast, and this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds beef chuck roast
  
• 1 tablespoon water
  
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
  
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sour cream
  
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  
• 1 cup oil for frying
  
• 20 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• Salsa
  

Instructions:

1. Place roast in slow cooker. Pour in water, vinegar, chili powder and cumin. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 10 hours or until the beef falls apart when you try to pick it up. Shred the beef, using 2 forks or your fingers. Place shredded beef back into the slow cooker with all the juices, and let cool to room temperature.
   


2. In a large skillet, saute the onion until just soft, not browned. Mix in flour and green chilies. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook the flour taste out. Stir in sour cream and 2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese. Cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is all melted and mixed. Set aside and let cool.
   


3. In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil. Using tongs dip the tortillas, one at a time, into the oil for 30 seconds each side. Drain on paper towels.
   


4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spread 4 tablespoons of sour cream mixture down the center of the tortilla. Top with about the same amount of beef. Roll up and place seam side down in one or two 8x11 inch baking dish. Repeat for each tortilla. Continue until you are out of the filling. Sprinkle with remaining Monterey Jack cheese.
   


5. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.


6. Serve with salsa.
   

Notes: These were a bit labor intensive. They tasted great, however. The meat was delicious, and I will be using this shredded beef in other Mexican recipes! If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook your roast using the original recipe.

Suggested beverage: beer

Tim's Rating: 10.2/10 ("One of my favorite things that you've ever made.")
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Inspiration:
allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar


• 2 tablespoons olive oil


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar


• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin


• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder


• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro


• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained


• 8-10 ounces frozen sweet corn


• Tortilla chips
  
• Optional: bell pepper, red onion or scallions
  

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together black beans and corn.
3. Toss with vinegar and oil dressing.
4. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
5. Garnish with cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips.

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Cilantro Cumin Salad Dressing

Inspiration:
This recipe on the Digest This! blog.

Ingredients:

• 1 large handful cilantro
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Put cilantro & apple cider vinegar in food processor and finely chop cilantro.
   
2. Pour into bowl and add other ingredients. Whisk vigorously until oil no longer separates.
   
3. Serve immediately or if you store it, whisk again right before serving.
   
4. Can be saved in fridge or freezer.

Notes: Next time I will try reducing the vinegar t0 1/3 cup.

Tim's Rating: 10/10 ("I like it! Tastes like tacos!") hmm....interesting
Liz's Rating: 7/10

Caldo de Res

Inspiration:
2 pounds of beef shank, purchased as part of a larger order from Batalden Farms
and
Alex Trejo's recipe found at www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef shank, including bone
  
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 1/2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 fluid ounces fresh lime juice

Instructions:

1. Cut meat into 1-inch chunks. Do not discard bones. In a large pot over low heat combine the beef, bones, tomato, potatoes, onion, carrots, cabbage, garlic, 5 teaspoons cilantro, salt and cumin. Add water to cover and stir well.
   
2. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
3. Remove lid, stir, and simmer for another hour with lid off.
4. Remove bones.
   
5. Serve hot. Just before eating, squeeze in fresh lime juice to taste and sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 7/10

Black Beans with Garlic, Cumin, and Cilantro

Inspiration:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/101154

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup tomato juice or water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain black beans.
   
2. Cook onion and garlic in oil in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, then stir in beans, cumin, cilantro, salt, and water and simmer, stirring, until beans are heated through.

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Cheese Enchiladas

Inspiration: Diana Rattray

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes, drained and crushed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon leaf oregano, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups shredded Mexican blend of cheeses
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onions
• 12-16 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• chopped cilantro and sour cream to garnish
  

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and salt.
   
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
   
3. In a small bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups cheese and onions.
   
4. Preheat oven to 350°. Warm tortillas in microwave then dip them in the tomato sauce mixture; lay them in a lightly greased 9x13x2-inch casserole dish.
   
5. Fill each tortilla with cheese and onion mixture; roll. Repeat until dish is full.
   
6. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
   
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove remaining tomatoes from liquid and place on enchiladas. Discard liquid.
   
8. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Top with sour cream and chopped cilantro.
   

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Carne Guisada

Inspiration: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
  
• 10 ounces beef broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• salt to taste
• tortillas or rice
• garnishes: cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce
  

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
   
2. Cook beef until evenly brown. Pour off excess fat.
   
3. Stir in tomatoes, beef broth and water.
   
4. Season with garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt.
   
5. Place in slow cooker, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
6. Serve in tortillas or over rice.
   

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Notes: The result has a lot of liquid. If you want it more like traditional taco meat, put in 1/2 the broth and change the canned tomatoes to 1/2 can tomato paste.